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Non-League Paper By Jon Crouch

IT’S FIFTH round weekend in both the Isuzu FA Trophy and FA Vase and
those Wembley dreams are drawing ever closer to reality.
In the FA Trophy, five former winners remain, the most recent being
Bromley, the 2021-22 winners. They take on National League South side
Aveley, who will equal their best ever run in the competition with victory.
Kidderminster Harriers are enjoying a revival under new manager Phil
Brown and they be looking to take the Trophy back to Aggborough for the
first time since they beat Burton Albion after a replay at The Hawthorns in
1987. They take on National League North side Peterborough Sports,
managed by their former striker Michael Gash.
Sports’ league rivals Bishop’s Stortford won the FA Trophy in 1980-81 and
they face a Coalville Town side enjoying a club record run in the
competition.
Arguably, the tie of the round sees Wealdstone, victors in 1984-85, take on
local rivals Hendon in a crunch north-west London derby.
Hendon are three-times FA Amateur Cup winners in the FA Trophy’s former
guise, but have never lifted the silverware as we know it today.
Talking of guises, Macclesfield FC are competing in only their second ever
FA Trophy since re-forming, but have twice previously enjoyed success in
the competition/ The Silkmen won the first ever FA Trophy, against Telford
United, in 1969-70 and then again in 1995-96 when they beat Northwich
Victoria.
They make the trip to National League South high-fliers Hampton &
Richmond Borough, who are already on a best ever run.
Gateshead missed out at the final hurdle to FC Halifax Town in last year’s
Wembley showdown, but they will be looking to go one better when they
make the trip to Hereford FC, finalists themselves as recently as 2020-21.
Barnet were finalists in only the third ever FA Trophy final, going down to
Stafford Rangers, and they will be looking to finally add the FA Trophy to
their list of honours, starting with victory over two-time quarter-finalists
Welling United, while 1995-96 semi-finalists Chorley host quarter-finalists of
two years ago, Solihull Moors, in the final tie.
Clubs in the last 16 in the FA Vase have progressed through six rounds to
get this far with the road to Wembley getting underway on August 26,
2023.
With holders Ascot United moving up to the Isthmian League and Newport
Pagnell Town, finalists for the past two seasons, having crashed out to
Fakenham Town in the second round, two new teams will proudly walk out
onto the hallowed turf on Saturday May 11.
Indeed, every one of the eight fifth round ties this afternoon involves at
least one club for whom victory would mean a record run for the club in the
competition. That includes Emley AFC, who claim to be a continuation of